CinderInu and Other Fairytales
by ThuhJesheekuh
Summary: The cast of Inuyasha star in wellknown fairytales, including Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, and many more! Rated for language. Status: Retired.


There have been so many interpretations of Cinderella: cartoon, ballet, colorblind (i.e. Roger's and Hammerstein's). Have you ever wondered what it would be like if instead of drawing it, singing it, or defying the laws of genetics (Punet Square, where is thy victory?), all of the gender roles were switched? Yeah, I did, and this is what I came up with. Cinderella, Inuyasha style.

But then I thought, why stop there? "You don't have to gender-swap them all, but why don't you continue and Inuyasha-ify even _more_ fairytales?" is what my conscience said. And so, this marks the beginning of a series of fairytales starring the cast of Inuyasha. Welcome, folks, to CinderInu and Other Fairytales!

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CinderInu, _based on the Brothers Grimm's Cinderella_

Once upon a time, in a land of demons and humans, there lived a little half demon named Inuyasha. He lived with his mother, a beautiful human woman who loved him dearly. His father, a prominent demon, had passed on some time ago, so the two lived alone in their village. Inuyasha remained quite happy despite the teasing he got from the other children... because he was a half demon.

One day, however, his mother brought home a new man, a demon named Naraku. She told Inuyasha that Naraku would be his new stepfather. Naraku had two sons, Koga and Sesshomaru, who would be Inuyasha's stepbrothers. Inuyasha could tell his mother really loved Naraku and was much happier, but Inuyasha did not like his new stepfather one bit. He was scary and mean to young Inuyasha.

His two sons were no better. They liked to play tricks on Inuyasha and make fun of him for his ancestry. Neither of the two liked Inuyasha's mother and resented the fact that their father had married a human. They bit their tongues though, because they knew they would get a beating if they were to voice these thoughts.

Then, the worst thing that could ever happen happened. Inuyasha's dear mother died and left poor Inuyasha with his demon stepfather and brothers. Naraku's cruelty increased tenfold, including making Inuyasha his servant. He required Inuyasha to wait on Koga and Sesshomaru hand and foot. Inuyasha had to sleep in the kitchen in the ashes by the grate.

This happened when Inuyasha was seven. Ten years passed in this manner until one day...

----------

"Inuyasha... Inuyasha... INUYASHA!!!"

"Yeah, what?!" Inuyasha responded from the backyard, continuing to swing the axe. Another log split in two, and Inuyasha set another on the chopping block. The air pulsed around him and Inuyasha cried out as he was thrown to the ground. "Hey! What gives?!"

"Don't use that tone with me," Naraku stood over him. Inuyasha frowned and stood up, brushing the dirt from his clothes. "That's enough wood. Go get your brothers' laundry and wash it. And do mine too while you're at it."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Feh... whatever..." he muttered as he slumped off. Suddenly he felt Naraku strike him in the back of the head and he fell forward onto his stomach, wind knocked from his lungs. Before Naraku could say it, Inuyasha grunted, "I know! I know! I need to learn my place..."

"That's right," Naraku stepped on Inuyasha's back as he was trying to get up again. "You are nothing more than a half-breed, human blood mars the once proud demon blood that runs through your veins."

"Hmph..." Inuyasha growled. "What have you got against humans? You loved my mother once..." The thought hurt him... almost as much as Naraku pressing yet harder upon his back.

"A mistake on my part. Even I will admit to the occasional mistake," he spat, and Inuyasha felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach. "I'd say the worst part of marrying her is that she died and left me with filth like you." He finally removed his foot from Inuyasha's back and the boy stood up once more.

"Keh... But stepfather, if you didn't have me, who would you have to care to your every need?" he asked sarcastically.

Naraku gave a small smirk. "You're right, Inuyasha," he said. "So what are you still doing here when I told you to clean the clothes!"

"Fine! I'm going! I'm going!" Inuyasha replied, starting off again. "Better than talking to you..." He made it inside without being knocked down again and headed upstairs to his stepbrothers' rooms. "Laundry call..." he greeted Sesshomaru.

"Oh, good," the eldest of his stepbrothers replied. He was lying on his bed reading a book. "It's really starting to pile up," he said, pointing one clawed finger to the corner of the room. There was a huge pile of white robes there.

"How the hell do you go through so many clothes in just two days?" Inuyasha grumbled as he scooped the clothes into a dirty sheet and turned it into a laundry bag.

"It's very difficult to keep these robes as white as they are. If I wore them the whole day they'd never stay that way," Sesshomaru answered indifferently.

"Because we all care how white Sesshomaru's robes are..." Inuyasha muttered as he slunk out of the room. He moved on down the hall to his other stepbrother's room. "_You_ must have dirty clothes," he said.

"Have fun," Koga replied, waving his hand over the room to indicate all the garments spread over every part of the floor. In complete contrast to Sesshomaru, Koga was busy lifting weights in the corner of his room. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and started picking stuff up off the floor. He frowned as he picked up several pieces of clothing.

"Dammit, most of these aren't even dirty...!" he growled. "What'd you drop 'em on the floor just so I'd have to pick 'em up?"

"Well, I don't go through clothes fast enough, so I figured I'd put a few more on the floor for you, just so you'd have something to do," Koga smirked, his tone suggesting that he was doing it for Inuyasha's benefit.

"Gee, _thanks_," the half demon sneered as he closed the door behind him. After gathering the clothes from his stepfather's room- which thankfully his stepfather was not in at the time- Inuyasha proceeded to the kitchen where he began washing clothes in a large tub. '_Why'd you have to leave me like this, Mom...?_' he wondered quietly.

----------

Meanwhile, miles away in a large palace...

"You called for me, your highness?" The gentlewoman entered the princess' bedroom.

"Yes, yes I did, Sango..." the princess answered, flopping backward onto her bed. Sango closed the door behind her and sat down next to the princess.

"What is it now, Kagome?" she asked, placing a hand on the princess' forehead. Sango had been waiting on the princess, Kagome, for years. By now they were more friends than a ruler and servant.

"Ugh... My parents again..." Kagome answered.

"What'd they do this time?" Sango inquired a small smile audible in her voice.

"They want me to get married..." Kagome replied, pulling a pillow over and covering her face with it.

"Married?!" Sango repeated incredulously, the small smile disappearing.

"Yes, married," Kagome reiterated. "I've apparently 'come of age' and I have to get married within the next two weeks... Ugh! This is no fair...!" she groaned, rolling onto her stomach and holding the pillow over the back of her head.

"How do they expect you to fall in love with someone in two weeks?!" Sango asked.

"I don't think they do..." Kagome answered through a mouthful of blanket. She sat up again and Sango took the pillow. "I don't think they care if I love the person or not, I just have to marry them..."

"And how are you going to meet this 'dream guy?'" Sango posed.

"We have to throw a ball, tomorrow night, and every eligible bachelor in the kingdom will be there. The invitations are being delivered right now."

----------

"A what?" Inuyasha asked the messenger at the door.

"It is an invitation to the princess' coming out," the messenger replied. "Every eligible bachelor in the kingdom is required to attend."

"Keh... bachelors? What, so married men aren't allowed to attend?" Inuyasha asked.

"Well, because the king and queen are hoping the princess will find a groom at the ball," the messenger answered. He looked around and cupped his hand to his mouth. "Between you and me, the princess doesn't want to get married. She's absolutely stalwart against it. Her waiting gentlewoman says Princess Kagome is absolutely sick of her parents always telling her what to do."

"Hmm... I know the feeling..." Inuyasha mused, thinking of his own stepfather. "If that's the case I really shouldn't let my brothers go, because chances are they'd be telling her what to do too." He took the invitation from the messenger, who tipped his hat and continued down the lane. Inuyasha took another look at the envelope and shook his head, sighing slightly. '_Nah... they'd never let me..._'

"Who was at the door, CinderInu?" Koga asked, leaping down the stairs.

"What'd you call me?!" Inuyasha growled, turning around and clenching his fist at Koga.

"CinderInu," Koga repeated. "I know you can't really get hold of a mirror, but have you at least seen your reflection in the sink? Soot all over ya. Maybe if you didn't spend so much time in the fireplaces, CinderInu."

"Call me that one more time-!" Inuyasha started, but the air pulsed around him and he was knocked back as Naraku and Sesshomaru entered the room.

"Calm down. Every word is true," Naraku said quietly as Sesshomaru leered smugly in the background.

"Well, I wouldn't be so covered in ashes if you didn't make me clean _every_ fireplace in the house!" Inuyasha snapped.

Naraku would have thrown his stepson against the wall for his retort, but decided against it. Instead he asked, "Who was at the door?"

"Some herald from the castle," Inuyasha replied, holding the letter out to his stepfather who took it and opened it up. "Apparently there's some kind of ball or something tomorrow night for the princess."

"The princess?" Sesshomaru echoed. "Why are they having a ball for the princess?"

"Because she just had her birthday and now she has to find a husband at this part and get married," Inuyasha replied, watching the ceiling in boredom.

"Who's on the what now?!" Koga exclaimed excitedly as he rushed over to read the invitation over his father's shoulder. "The princess is getting married to someone at that ball?! Woohoo!" he howled and Inuyasha rolled his eyes, as did Sesshomaru.

"What's the big deal?" he said uninterestedly. "The princess is a human, useless minor beings."

"Now, now, Sesshomaru. Don't be so hasty," Naraku said, reading over the note. "The princess may be a human, but she is a princess no less. If one of you married her-."

"I could be king! The princess is totally hot! I'm going to that ball!" Koga shouted and began to march around the room victoriously.

Sesshomaru gave a half-frown half-smile and said, "No one of that high stature would consider marrying you." Koga paused and glared back at his brother. "You would never be able to run a kingdom besides. It requires intelligence and a regal command... neither of which have you."

"Oh, and I bet you think _you_ could rule over the whole land?" Koga challenged staring down Sesshomaru.

"I most certainly could-!" Sesshomaru met Koga's gaze but both froze when they heard their father clear his throat behind them. Sesshomaru glanced at him and continued, "Not! Which is why if I were ever to become king, Father would most certainly become the power behind the throne." Naraku looked on in approval and clapped a hand on each boy's shoulder.

"I'm sure either of you would... which is why we must make sure that the princess chooses one of the two of you," he said.

Inuyasha watched all this in mild disgust. "So that's it?" he asked. "You'd just marry her for her money and power?"

"And her looks!" Koga added.

"Of course," Naraku answered. "As Sesshomaru said, she is nothing but a human. It's a disgrace to think they've been running this land for so long."

"Why, CinderInu?" Sesshomaru asked smugly. "What would you marry her for if _you_ went to the ball?"

"Wha-?" Inuyasha stuttered, taken aback by the question. "Well, I... She may be a human, but they have their redeeming qualities. Like Koga said, she must be plenty pretty."

"Oooooooh, so very fine!" Koga howled.

"And I'll bet she's nice and stuff, I guess..." Inuyasha added.

"So, tell me, Inuyasha," Naraku said. "Would you want to go to the ball tomorrow and meet the princess to prove that point?"

"Well... I wouldn't _mind_ going to this big party..." he said hopefully. "And the invitation_ does_ say for all eligible bachelors to appear."

"Heh heh heh..." Naraku chuckled. "How cute... he wants to go to the dance like everyone else." His two sons sniggered softly as well. "Think again... besides, isn't tomorrow the new moon, when you like to lock yourself in the woodshed?"

'_Urg..._' Inuyasha flinched. That was right, tomorrow was the new moon. His stepfamily didn't know this, but on the new moon he reverted to a full human form. He wouldn't ever let them know this because he knew they despised humans and would surely beat him in this state. So he locked himself in the woodshed until morning, at which time he was generally beaten for not doing his work like he was supposed to. "Yeah... I figured you'd say that..."

"Oh, don't worry, Inuyasha," Naraku said with fake sympathy. "Even if you can't go to the ball, you can do the next best thing."

"What's that?" Inuyasha asked, doubt unhidden in his voice.

"Help your two stepbrothers get ready for it," Koga answered, voice full of mirth.

Inuyasha frowned mournfully. "I can hardly wait..."

----------

The next evening, Inuyasha watched as his stepfamily got decked out in their finest clothes. Koga actually looked halfway to decent for once and Sesshomaru... well, he didn't look much different from what he usually looked like. The sun was low in the sky, and Inuyasha wished they would just leave so he wouldn't have to be so anxious. His wish was granted as a carriage pulled by two lower-level demons.

"Well, Inuyasha, we will be leaving now," Naraku said. "I expect we'll be out all night, so you don't have to worry about locking yourself in the woodshed tonight," he added with a smirk as he climbed into the carriage.

"Feh..." Inuyasha responded, trying to hide his apprehensiveness even as he watched the sun moving ever nearer the horizon.

"Have fun sleeping with the termites, CinderInu," Koga laughed, climbing into the carriage behind Naraku and Sesshomaru.

"I told you to stop calling me that...!" Inuyasha sneered as he shut the door to the carriage loudly.

Naraku laughed at his displeasure and called to the demons, "Let's go." The demons took off down the lane, pulling the carriage toward the castle.

"Later, CinderInu!!!" Koga called back. Inuyasha silently clenched his fists and was mildly surprised to find his claws didn't dig into his palms. He looked up and realized the sun was gone and that he'd returned to a human form. Black hair, normal ears, and all.

Inuyasha sighed and turned around, heading back into the house. "Well, at least there's one night where I have the entire house to myself," he said. He paused a moment and smirked as he realized none of his stepfamily had given him any chores. "Heh, I could head into the village and actually do something besides grocery shopping," he said. But then he thought about it again and realized whomever he ran into would probably ask why an eligible bachelor like him wasn't at the ball. They wouldn't recognize him as the half demon they already knew and send him to the big party.

'_Hmm... Would that be so bad?_' he wondered. '_Afterall _no one_ would recognize me... Naraku, Sesshomaru, Koga... none of them would know it's me..._' He smirked, "Hell, I'd rather they did know it was me! I'd go there just to piss them off! Ha!" He was just about to set foot out the door and walk there when he remembered and sighed... '_Course it would help if the castle wasn't so damn far away!_'

"Oh, well..." he breathed sitting in a chair, balancing it on its two back legs, and propping his feet up on the kitchen table. "I'll be content with having the house to myself..."

"Why?" Inuyasha yelped as he fell backward in the chair and landed hard on the floor.

"Ow..." he stated quite plainly. He looked around the room and asked, "Who said that and where the hell are you?"

"I'm not hiding." A man in monk's robes appeared in front of Inuyasha and offered his hand to pull him up. Inuyasha ignored it and stood up on his own. "Okay..."

Inuyasha stood away from the man and crossed his arms over his chest. "So?"

"'So' what?" the man asked.

"So who the hell are you and what are you doing in my kitchen?" Inuyasha posed. "Not to mention, how did you just _appear_ like that?" He paused a moment. "...You're not a demon are you?" He knew that demons who looked like humans were the ones you had to worry about, which was why he didn't generally go out of his way to piss off his stepfamily. Normally he wouldn't be nervous around an unknown demon either, but in his current human state, well...

The man rolled his eyes. "I'm not a demon," he said. "My name is Miroku and I'm here to help you."

"Help me? Ha," Inuyasha laughed. "I don't need any help, and that still doesn't explain how you got in here in the first place. If you're not a demon, then what are you?" Miroku took a deep breath and tried to move on.

"It's not-."

"I'm not gonna trust you until you stop dodging questions," Inuyasha cut him off. Miroku squirmed and mumbled something. "What's that?"

"I'm your..." Miroku trailed off.

"Still can't hear you."

"Dammit! I'm your fairy godfather!" Miroku snapped. Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"A... _fairy_ godfather?" Inuyasha repeated. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and he pursed his lips, trying to suppress his laughter. It didn't work. He burst into peals and peals of laughter, doubling over with his hands across his stomach. Miroku turned bright red.

"Look! It's not _my_ fault that's what we're called," he said. "If I had it my way we'd be something more masculine... and I'd get to grant the wishes of female charges..." Inuyasha rolled his tearing eyes as he stood up straight again.

"So, what, you're only allowed to help men?" he asked.

"Unfortunately..." Miroku sighed. "I haven't seen much in the way of lady folk since I took on this position since they give those charges to the fairy godmothers."

"Well, wait, don't you see the godmothers?" Inuyasha asked, honestly curious now.

"Of course. We are all required to commune together," Miroku answered.

"Well, why don't you just-?"

"Because they're all practically nuns..."

"Haven't the other godfathers made any complaints?"

"No... I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that isn't a eunuch..." Inuyasha cringed slightly.

"Okay... I don't need to hear any more about the castrated fairies..." he said. "You said you're here to help me. I don't need any help."

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Please, you're the most in need charge I've ever had."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Inuyasha demanded, balling his fist and holding it in front of Miroku's face.

Miroku rolled his eyes and calmly pushed the hand away. "Please. You're not very intimidating as a human, Inuyasha. And I wasn't trying to insult you, you're just worse off than you know."

"How's that?" Inuyasha asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed," Miroku said. "Your stepfamily is made up of a bunch of evil bastards, you're a little stuck here when there's a party you could be at, meeting a princess no less."

"And how are you going to fix that?" Inuyasha asked skeptically.

"Well, I'm a _fairy_, whether I like it or not," Miroku said, a hint of disdain in his voice. "That said." A staff appeared in his hands.

"Hey, at least you're not stuck with some wimpy wand," Inuyasha pointed out.

"Indeed..." Miroku replied. He waved the staff slightly and bright lights issued forth and surrounded Inuyasha.

"Well, _that_ wasn't exactly masculine..." Inuyasha teased.

"Careful, I could easily take away every _ounce_ of _your_ masculinity in a heartbeat," Miroku answered. "Just take a look at yourself." He tapped the staff on the floor and a full-length mirror appeared in front of Inuyasha.

"Hey now...!" Inuyasha commented, seeing his reflection. For one thing, he was clean of all soot, and for another, he was now wearing a new formal kimono. He also had a sword at his side. "Hey, what's with the sword?"

"You can't deny it looks cool... and you never know when it'll come in handy," Miroku answered.

"True..." Inuyasha mused. He looked down at himself again. "Damn... Sesshomaru would be downright jealous of this thing...!"

"Yeah, he probably will," Miroku replied, causing the mirror to disappear.

"What, how's he actually going to see me in it?" Inuyasha posed.

"I do expect he'll see you at some point during the party," Miroku answered starting out the kitchen door and into the front yard.

"Yeah... just one problem... how the hell am I getting there?!" Inuyasha asked, following him outside.

"Say hello to my little friend," Miroku replied, turning around to reveal a small cat demon in his arms. "Kilala." It seemed asleep but after half a second it opened its large red eyes.

"_That_ is my transportation?!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "I should be _its_ carrier!" Miroku rolled his eyes and rubbed Kilala behind the ears as he set her on the ground. She looked up at him, eyes wide and scarlet. Suddenly she was engulfed in flames and Inuyasha threw his arms up to protect himself. When he lowered them a tiger, large enough for him to ride, stood in Kilala's place. "Is that the same cat?!" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes it is," Miroku answered as Kilala stretched slightly and looked at the two. "Now hurry up, she can't stay like this forever."

"'Hurry up' what?" Inuyasha said.

"Get on her back," Miroku sighed exasperatedly, climbing up. Inuyasha stared for a moment but then shrugged his shoulders and climbed onto Kilala's back.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Now we leave. Kilala!" Miroku shouted. Kilala nodded her head and leapt into the air. Inuyasha was mildly surprised but didn't say anything as the cat demon flew swiftly through the air toward the royal palace...

----------

Kagome sighed. "This. Is. Soooo booooring!" she whined softly. She sat in a throne at the head of the room wearing a decorative floral patterned kimono. Bachelors were lined up all around and a servant stood high in a balcony, a scroll in hand as he read off the names of each person present. Kagome nodded silently to each person as they stepped forward to present himself to her.

She glanced up at the balcony where the servant stood with the scroll, and her heart leapt for joy as she saw Sango appear behind him and whisper something in his ear. She saw him smile and nod and Sango nod and disappear again. He continued to read off names.

"Kagome!" Sango said, appearing behind Kagome, looking rather winded.

"Sango! Well?" Kagome replied, placing hand on her friend's shoulder as she caught her breath. Sango gave her a smile, breathing deeply.

"Give him five more names, Kagome," Sango said. Kagome nodded, smiling.

"Shippo of the fox demons," the announcer called. From the crowd stepped out a little boy with a poofy foxtail.

"Aw...!" Kagome and Sango cooed as he moved forward and bowed.

"I'm Shippo," he introduced himself. "I may look little, but I could take care of you real good, Princess."

"I'm sure you could," Kagome smiled. He grinned and returned quickly to the crowd of spectators. "I'd say he was my favorite so far," Kagome whispered behind her hand to Sango.

"Totosai the sword smith!"

Kagome looked up and nearly cried out in surprise at the man standing not three feet from her. "Hey, princess! I can make more than swords if you know what I mean," Totosai grinned.

"I-I'm sure you could," Kagome said, cringing away from him.

"I hope to see you at our wedding," he said, clasping her hands in his.

"Aheh..." Kagome laughed nervously, prying her hands from his. Totosai grinned proudly and turned around.

"Aik!" Sango squealed, hand flying to her bottom where the old man had just pinched her. Totosai chuckled to himself as he returned to the crowd.

"I want out of here," Kagome said, blushing madly as she slumped back in the throne.

"Three more names, Kagome!" Sango encouraged, though she was looking rather mortified as well. Kagome groaned.

"Sesshomaru the dog demon." A man with long silver hair stepped forward. He gave Kagome the creeps as he bowed majestically.

"Jeez... you'd think he was already the king of the world..." Sango muttered.

"And yet I would be the most able to take that duty," Sesshomaru said coldly, apparently having heard Sango. The girl's blood froze at the icy stare he gave her before turning away and returning to the crowd.

"Don't marry him..." Sango said.

"Koga the wolf demon."

"Wooo!!!" he howled as he leapt from the crowd and ran up to the princess. "Yeah! Princess, marry me! You're beautiful! I'm handsome! It's a match made in heaven!" he shouted.

"He certainly acts the part of a wolf demon..." Sango murmured. "I can't wait to get out of here either..." Kagome didn't give Koga any attention and he returned to the crowd defeated.

"One more... just one more..." she repeated to herself.

"Myoga the flea demon."

"_What?!_" three voices cried out.

"Princess Kagome!" Kagome heard from below her and looked in her lap to see a flea standing there, looking up at her. "Do not let my diminutive stature fool you. I am-."

"Already married!!!!" Another flea leapt up into Kagome's lap. She and Sango stared in wonder as the second flea, clobbered Myoga. "Myoga, you old dupe! How dare you run out on me in hopes of snagging a princess a billion times- plus- bigger than you!?"

"I'm sorry, Shoga! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Myoga cried out as she dragged him out of Kagome's lap and disappeared. Kagome and Sango stared at each other for a moment.

"Five," Kagome said.

"Though more of you have yet to be announced, we must take brief pause for dancing and cuisine," the announcer proclaimed. In the ensuing commotion, no one noticed the princess and her servant slip out of the room.

----------

Kilala landed in front of the palace and Inuyasha and Miroku hopped off her back. "Thanks, Kilala," Miroku said, rubbing her behind the ears. Inuyasha stepped away from the two and stared up at the palace. "Impressive, isn't it?" Miroku asked.

"These royals certainly know how to live," Inuyasha replied. They walked up to the palace in silence and through the unguarded front doors. "Slackers..." Inuyasha muttered to the guards that weren't- but should have been- there. Making their way down a few hallways, the two finally came upon a curtained doorway leading to a balcony that overlooked the party. Everyone was either dancing or eating below them.

"Some shindig," Miroku commented.

"Yah..." Inuyasha answered somewhat quietly. He looked down at the throne and saw that it was empty. "The princess isn't even here," he said. "I bet she already grabbed her hubby and left." He turned around and started out the doorway, "Not much point in staying now."

Miroku grabbed him by the back of the kimono and pulled him back, looking at him slyly. "Inuyasha... you wouldn't be scared, would you?"

"Like hell! I just... don't see much point in being here if the princess ain't even here!" Inuyasha replied.

"Uh-huh," Miroku eyeballed him skeptically.

"Don't get smart with me, you damned pixie...!" Inuyasha said warningly.

"Hey! Don't demote me!" Miroku retorted.

"I'm getting out of here," Inuyasha stated simply, starting for the curtain again.

"Oh, no you don't!" Miroku grabbed him again. "I didn't go through all that work for nothing!"

"Change of plans... you did!" Inuyasha answered.

"Fine," Miroku said, releasing him. "It doesn't matter to me, I wasn't going to stay anyways."

"You what?!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "You were just going to abandon me?!"

"Sure," Miroku shrugged. "I wasn't even obligated to get you to the ball, but I wasn't exactly eager to get back to the nuns and eunuchs back home... but now that I see there's nothing much to do here anyway..."

"You're not even gonna get me home?!"

"Oh, thank you for reminding me," Miroku said. "I almost forgot I need to get Kilala."

"Dammit! What the hell am I supposed to do?!" Inuyasha demanded. It's quite surprising that the people below them couldn't hear him...

"Don't know, don't care anymore," Miroku replied. Inuyasha fumed at him some more as they made their way out of the castle and down the long set of front steps.

"Some help you are!" he said. "Drag me to some party- the host of which isn't even in there- and then try to leave me with no way of getting home!"

"You don't want to be here either?" Inuyasha stiffened as he turned around to see a girl in a floral kimono sitting on the steps.

"Hell no," he said. "I mean, the princess isn't even in there..."

The girl narrowed her eyes slightly. "No, she didn't want to be there either..."

"Yeah, the delivery boy told me," Inuyasha replied. The girl nodded, staring up at the sky.

"So, who abandoned you?" she asked.

"What d'you mean?" Inuyasha asked, glancing over at Miroku.

Miroku sighed, "She can't see me."

"So, what, only I can see you?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

"For now. I could let other people see me if I wanted," Miroku answered.

"Damn... now this is hard to explain..." Inuyasha muttered.

"Just tell her you're here with your brothers," Miroku suggested.

"Right..." turning to the girl again. "I came here with my brothers but they disappeared on me... ass holes..."

"Who are your brothers?" she asked, facing him again.

"Well, their names are Koga and Sesshomaru-."

"Oh, I remember them," the girl said, crinkling up her nose. "You're right, they were kind of asses, especially the wolf one."

"Really?" Inuyasha asked, surprised that anyone agreed with him.

"Oh, yeah," the girl replied. "Don't you remember how he howled when he got up there! Ugh! No tact whatsoever."

"Yeah, that can definitely be said for him," Inuyasha smirked. She smiled back at him.

"I'm leaving you now..." Miroku whispered, a tiny hint of slyness in his voice. Inuyasha grimaced slightly, grabbing Miroku, but tried to hide it by talking to the girl.

"What are _you_ doing out here anyway? You're pretty enough you could draw some attention yourself." She tried not to smile anymore.

"It was kind of boring. My friend and I decided to come out here and ditch..." she pointed down the stairs to where another girl was standing by Kilala, petting the tiger, who purred softly. Inuyasha and Miroku both turned their heads to see the girl, and Miroku all but had to pick his jaw up off the floor.

"Never mind... maybe this is worth staying for afterall... Oh, and I forgot to mention, we have to leave by midnight," he said, pulling away from Inuyasha and heading down the stairs. Inuyasha watched in confusion before the girl regained his attention.

"So, what's your name?" she asked. "Shouldn't they have called you with your brothers?"

"Uh... no, I didn't really sign in," he answered uncertainly.

"Really?" she said. "Well, I guess you _did_ say you didn't really want to be here..."

"Yeah, but that's only because the princess wasn't there when I got in there," Inuyasha said.

"You wanted to meet the princess, then?" the girl asked.

"Well... kind of. What's the point in coming to a party if you're not even going to know the host?" Inuyasha answered.

"Hmm..." the girl nodded her head pensively. "Well... meet the princess." She stood up and dusted off her kimono. "My name is Kagome." Inuyasha paled and his eyes widened.

"Y-you're the princess?" he stuttered, pointing at her dumbly. She nodded. "I've been standing here talking to the princess this whole time without knowing it...?"

"Yah," she answered, an amused smile appearing on her face but slowly disappeared. "You don't think of me any differently, do you?"

"How do you mean?" he asked confusedly.

"Now that you know I'm a princess, do you think anything different?" she said.

"No, not really," he answered. "I mean, if you hadn't told me I could have gone on talking without ever knowing you're a princess. You're just like a normal person." Kagome smiled at him.

"Would you like to continue talking?" she offered. Inuyasha glanced down the stairs toward Kilala before turning back to her.

"Sure. Why not?"

----------

Sango stood by the strange tiger demon, rubbing her gently behind the ears. She and Kagome had snuck out of the ball and come outside to hide. She expected it wouldn't be too long before they had to find somewhere else to hide. Someone would surely notice Kagome was missing soon...

The cat purred softly, as though she were just a tiny kitten. "You're just a big softie, aren't you?" she whispered to it.

"Her name's Kilala." Sango jumped slightly and turned around to see a man in monk's robes standing at the bottom of the stairs. He held up his hand to show her he meant no harm. "Sorry to have startled you. I saw you admiring my cat and-."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Sango exclaimed, stepping away. "I'll leave her alone, I'm sorry!"

"No, no!" Miroku stopped her. "It's quite all right..." She paused and watched him for a moment. "I saw you admiring Kilala and thought I'd show you her favorite spot to be petted." He moved toward Kilala's head and reached out his hand, rubbing her nose. Kilala purred even more, closing her eyes contentedly. Sango let out a small laugh. Miroku turned to her. "You want a turn?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment but shrugged, moving forward. "All right then."

"I don't want to force you," Miroku teased as she put her hand to Kilala's nose. The cat demon smiled and nuzzled her hand gently. Sango laughed at the tickling sensation and Miroku laughed as well.

"I'm Sango, by the way," she said, turning to him.

A small knot formed in Miroku's throat as he contemplated his options here. He didn't know if he was allowed to tell anyone his name but his charge. "Miroku." Well, he wasn't exactly supposed to be talking to them either...

"That's nice," she smiled, continuing to pet Kilala. Finally she stopped and turned to Miroku. "So... what is a monk such as yourself doing out here when the big party's inside?" she asked.

"Oh! Oh, I'm not a monk," Miroku replied hastily. "This is just my... well my uniform for the work that I do." '_Shit, this was a bad idea... what were you thinking, Miroku..._'

Sango nodded, a bit amusedly. "Okay... and you couldn't change out of said uniform before coming? Especially since I assume you were hoping to meet the princess."

"Well... I wasn't exactly expecting to be here..." Miroku answered slowly.

"You didn't come to try to marry the princess?" Sango asked, almost skeptically.

"I'm don't think I'm even supposed to be talking to a lady or duchess or whatever you are, let alone marry a princess," Miroku said.

"You think I'm a-? Oh, I'm not a lady! I'm just a servant," Sango exclaimed looking down at the clothes she was wearing. She had dressed up a _little _for the ball, but...

"Really?" Miroku said. "Because you look the part..." Sango blushed slightly and looked up the stairs toward where Kagome had once sat. Miroku followed that gaze, though he was looking more for Inuyasha. They both looked back at each other at the same time and Miroku took a deep breath. "Y'know what... talking to a young lady is a little more noncommittal than marrying a princess..." Sango gave him a small smile as they both started walking down the path.

----------

Inside the palace, Inuyasha and Kagome had found another hiding place, a simple enough courtyard within the castle. Inuyasha remained undeterred by the fact that Kagome was actually the princess. She didn't seem like a princess at all.

"Ugh! He made me so mad!" Kagome said. "I was so ready to smack him upside the head!"

"And what _did_ you do?" Inuyasha asked, smirking.

"I balled up my fist and got ready to thump him!" Kagome said, balling up her fist as she spoke. "But then, of course-!"

"One of your servants stopped you and said, 'Princess, you should not be hitting your little brother, you should get one of us to do it!'" Inuyasha cut in.

Kagome burst out laughing and Inuyasha joined her. "No, but something remarkably similar. One of _his_ servants stopped me and would have smacked _me_ if Sango hadn't knocked him upside the head. Oh, we got in so much trouble..." she snickered.

"Kagome... Oh, Princess Kagome. Where are you...?" someone called uninterestedly.

"Shit! Someone's looking for you!" Inuyasha exclaimed, ready to jump up and start running.

"Oh, calm down," she said, holding him to his seat. The door opened and a servant poked his head inside bored. He spotted her but only gave her a small smile and an "okay" sign.

"Is she out there...?" someone else asked, just as bored.

"No, she's definitely not out there with some dude..." the servant answered, closing the door. They disappeared and Inuyasha stared at the closed door perplexedly. Kagome noticed the look on his face and smirked.

"They all know how I feel about the ball," she said. "Thankfully they all agree. They won't feed me to the sharks."

"Heh... lucky for you. You still don't have to go mingle with my brothers," he said and she rolled her eyes.

"Speaking of your brothers, I was wondering," she said, the smile disappearing. "How can you be related if _you're_ human and _they're_ demons?"

"Hum-? Oh! Right," he'd forgotten that he was human and glanced at a strand hanging near his face. "Well, they're not my brothers by blood," Inuyasha said. "My mother married their father... and passed on shortly after..." he added slowly, looking toward the ground.

Kagome gasped slightly. "I'm so sorry! I wish I hadn't brought it up!" she exclaimed apologetically.

"No, you're fine!" Inuyasha assured her. "It's okay, you had no way of knowing..." He continued to stare at the ground. Kagome watched him for a minute.

"You really miss her, don't you?" she asked softly.

"Yeah..." he answered. "And it's not even just because of the bastard stepfather she left me with..." He started slightly when he felt Kagome's arms around him.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that..." she told him, embracing him closely.

"Kagome..."

He looked down at her and she up at him. Was she getting bigger...? Or were their faces moving closer? The latter. They were just a few inches apart when they heard a loud chiming from somewhere in the castle.

Inuyasha put his hand on her shoulder to stop her as he looked up. "What's that?" he asked.

"You've never heard a clock before?" she teased. "It's midnight."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he remembered Miroku's words: '_We have to leave by midnight..._'

"I gotta go!" he exclaimed, jumping up.

"Huh?" Kagome blurted confusedly. Inuyasha started to run before turning around to her one last time.

"Please don't tell my brothers I was here!" He ran out of the courtyard and Kagome barely had time enough to follow before he closed the door behind himself.

"Wait-!" she called, about to shout his name before realizing he'd never given it.

Inuyasha had disappeared and made it out the front of the palace. There was a clanging noise and he turned around to see the sword lying on the stairs. "Shit!" he exclaimed and grabbed it by the sheath, not giving it a second thought as he ran down the stairs.

----------

"So you know the princess pretty well?" Miroku asked as he and Sango walked along. They had been weaving in and out of carriages and demons, basically the "parking lot," though they were very close to the palace at the moment. Sango had mostly forgotten she was a servant and Miroku had forgotten he was a fairy godfather.

"I've been her lady in waiting since we were ten," Sango answered. "At this point I'd say I'm more of a best friend for hire than a servant anymore," she laughed slightly.

"Does that mean if they stopped paying you, you'd ditch Kagome and leave," Miroku teased, and Sango batted his arm playfully, causing him to laugh.

"_No_, I could never leave Kagome. I'm not just her best friend, she's mine too," she said.

"Well, I'm glad you have some loyalty," Miroku said. Sango smiled. Suddenly there was a snarl beside them, and turning they saw two jackal-like demons snapping at them. Sango gasped as one went for her leg. Miroku grabbed her and pulled her out of the way. "Stay back, Sango!" he said. Then he saw the two harnesses that had been chewed through on a carriage nearby. There was nothing restraining these two beasts.

The two jackals leapt at them concurrently. They missed Miroku, who cried out as Sango screamed. Sango had been knocked off balance and was lying on her back. She held her arms to her face to protect herself as the jowls of the beasts snapped in her face. Suddenly the two jackals were thrown off her. When Sango looked again, the two jackals were harnessed to the carriage again. And with _muzzles_ no less. "Miroku, what just happened...?" she asked bemusedly.

"Nothing good..." Miroku breathed, skin ashen as he realized what he'd just done.

Sango stared at the two jackals who were now both subdued. She looked up at Miroku. "Did you take those two out?" she asked.

He nodded slowly, hand to his forehead as he thought about what had just happened. He did until, that is, Sango put her arms around him and leaned into his chest. "Miroku, you just saved my life..." she said. "Thank you..." Miroku blinked a few times and finally put his arms around her as well.

"You're welcome, Sango..." he said, rubbing her back gently. "That may have been as little noncommittal as marrying a princess..." he muttered to himself. '_What the hell did you just do...?_' Suddenly the clock sounded and his eyes widened. "Shit! It's _midnight_?!" he exclaimed, releasing her.

"I guess so," Sango said, stepping back slightly. "We've been out here for a long time."

"Dammit! I was supposed to leave _before_ twelve...!" he griped at himself, pressing his palms against his forehead.

"I'm sorry, if I'd known-," Sango started.

"Sango, you have nothing to be sorry for," Miroku said, placing his hands on her shoulders. He looked up at another chime. "I could never regret taking this walk with you." He brushed a single hair from her face.

"Will I-?"

"See me again?" Miroku finished for her. "...I _really_ wish I could, but I don't think so..." he said. She nodded her head slowly.

"I understand..." she said softly. Before he took his hands off her shoulders she leaned up and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "Take care, Miroku..."

He looked at her painfully for a moment before letting go. "Goodbye, Sango." Miroku turned around and took off running in the direction of the front door again. He found Inuyasha running down the stairs with the sheath of his sword in his hand just as the final chime sounded.

"It came untied!" Inuyasha answered before Miroku could ask.

"No! It had nothing to tie to!" Miroku replied, pointing to Inuyasha's clothes, which were back to normal.

"Augh! Where's Kilala?" Inuyasha asked. They looked around for a moment before spotting the small cat demon on the ground.

"Oh, no! Kilala!" Miroku cried out in woe.

"What happened?!" Inuyasha asked panickedly.

"That's why we were supposed to leave before midnight!" Miroku answered, picking the cat demon up. "She can't stay that way forever."

"Don't leave!" Inuyasha's eyes widened as he heard Kagome behind them.

"We gotta get out of here!" he exclaimed. He and Miroku immediately took off running.

They managed to make it to the castle gates before Miroku decided, "This isn't going to work. We can't run all the way to your village."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Inuyasha asked. They looked around and both spotted Naraku's carriage at the same time.

----------

Kagome sat on the front steps of the palace, a sword next to her. Her elbows were propped up on her knees, and her chin was cupped in her palms. Sango finally made it to the front of the palace from where Miroku left her and found Kagome sitting there. She stood in front of her and looked down at her friend in concern.

Kagome sighed, "The one person at this ball that I actually found some connection to... and he runs out at midnight with some guy in monk's robes without even telling me his name..."

"Miroku?" Sango asked and Kagome looked up at her quizzically. "The man in monk's robes... the only one _I_ found connection with..." Kagome sighed again and took the sword by the handle, looking at it.

"He dropped his sword..." she said. "I recognize it by the handle... he must have dropped the whole thing and the sword much have fallen out when he grabbed the sheath..." Sango watched her a moment. "I'll try every sheath in this kingdom if it means finding him... even if it means my parents were right about this ball afterall..."

----------

Inuyasha and Miroku left the carriage in front of the house for Naraku and his sons to find when they got home... whenever and however they got home... In the meantime, the two of them sank into the chairs at the kitchen table.

"Are you glad I got you to that ball?" Miroku asked Inuyasha wearily.

"I don't know..." Inuyasha answered slowly. "On the plus side I got to spend the evening with the most amazing person I've ever met... on the down side I had to leave her..."

Miroku sighed. "You're not alone..." he said almost inaudibly, standing again. He stretched out a bit and then looked back to Inuyasha. "Well, Inuyasha, it's been fun," he said. Inuyasha nodded his head. Miroku shook his head slightly before waving his hand faintly to summon his staff.

Nothing happened.

"What the hell?" he wondered aloud. Kilala, who was sitting on the table looked at him curiously. Inuyasha furrowed his eyebrows confusedly. Miroku shook his head, trying to shake it off, and waved his hand again.

Still nothing.

"What is going on here?!" he exclaimed.

"Hell if I know," Inuyasha responded. Suddenly there was a flurry of tiny lights above the table and a piece of parchment appeared, falling on top of Kilala. The tiny cat poked her head out from underneath, crawling out and taking it in her mouth, took the paper to Inuyasha. "What's this?" Inuyasha asked, picking it up. He read over it and his eyes widened slowly. "Uh-oh..."

"What?" Miroku asked, taking the note from him. His eyes widened in shock and fury as he read the letter.

_Miroku,_

_You are hereby disbanded from the Fairy Godparents for breaking various rules in the course of a single evening, including, but not limited to, allowing yourself to be seen by someone other than your charge, divulging of your name to someone other than your charge, and using magic to benefit someone other than your charge. From here on you are mortal and thus banished to that realm. You have no more Fairy Godlike powers. Be grateful we do not erase your memory._

Miroku looked livid and Inuyasha slowly backed away, cringing slightly. Kilala dove off and under the table as Miroku exploded, "DAMN YOU BASTARD EUNUCHS!!!! WHAT THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?! LET HER BE KILLED BY THE JACKALS?!?!" He cussed them out loudly for a few more minutes before finally getting a hold of himself and collapsing into a chair, holding his forehead in his hand.

"Hey," Inuyasha said tentatively as Kilala finally poked her head out from under the tablecloth. "What's the big deal? I thought you didn't like being a fairy godfather?"

"I don't give a rat's ass about them," Miroku answered bitterly. "My problem is that I haven't been mortal for hundreds of years. I have no family or anywhere to go. All I've known for three hundred years is helping people with magic. I don't care that I'm no longer the only non-eunuch in a frigging monastery of fairies, but the fact that I lost it after I'd already left the girl I lost it for all the way across the kingdom... And equipped as I currently am I have no means of returning to her..."

"We're in the same boat, then, now," Inuyasha said as he sat down again as well and Kilala jumped into Miroku's lap. The former fairy petted the cat absentmindedly. "We both left our girl on the other side of the kingdom and can't get back to her. He noticed light coming in through the kitchen window and realized the sun was up. Looking down at his claws and hair, he added, "And Kagome wouldn't even recognize me the way I am now..."

"We were fools to fall in love..." Miroku said. "And now I don't even have a place to live..." Inuyasha sighed.

"Well... there's always the woodshed..."

----------

A week passed. Inuyasha went back to serving Naraku, Sesshomaru, and Koga, though they had become more hostile and nagging since the ball. They'd returned early the following morning after catching a ride from a collaborator of Naraku's- Inuyasha expected their business had been a rather shady kind. After returning home, both princessless and having lost their transportation, the three were far from accommodating for the following week and were not likely to become at least a little less antagonistic.

Miroku meanwhile had hidden in the woodshed like Inuyasha suggested. During the day he often went into town and tried to find some kind of employment, though nothing ever stuck. When that happened, he came back and holed up in the shed, thinking about Sango and cursing the fairy godfathers... but mostly thinking about Sango. At one point, he came up with the idea of showing up on Inuyasha's doorstep and asking for work in exchange for food and a place to stay- a woodshed would be fine. Naraku bought it, and Miroku joined Inuyasha in work around their house.

And Inuyasha, aside from doing the work they made him do, thought of Kagome. He strongly regretted coming home that night. Thinking back on it, he realized that if he'd just stayed at the palace, making sure to keep out of sight from his stepfamily until they left, he could have showed her he was a half demon, married her, and the others would think he'd just run away, gripe about it for a few days, and then move on without a servant. Miroku could have been with Sango when he found out he was mortal and been set too.

But he didn't. And so the two of them were stuck in this hellhole called servitude to a demon and both dreaming of girls across the kingdom.

Or were they? "Sango... I'm getting worried," Kagome said. They were in the royal coach, riding down a country road. "It has been a week and we've visited every town in the north, the east, and the west, and still no sign of him..."

"I know, but maybe he's in the south..." Sango said consolingly. She'd been incredibly supportive of Kagome throughout the search, especially when they first left. Kagome's parents had been furious that she'd ditched the ball and even more so when they found out she actually had found someone but let him get away. She'd left them in a huff, not even asking permission to go out on the search. Sango suspected they had royal guards tailing them, but she never saw any.

"We're coming up to another town," called the coach driver. The two girls looked out the window and saw a village up ahead. People in the streets paid no attention to the carriage but to get out of its way.

"Damn aristocrats... probably another of Naraku's buddies..." they barely heard someone say outside.

Kagome turned to Sango. "At least word of our search hasn't reached this town," she said. "No one _here_ will try to deceive us..." In several places prior, people had heard about the search and fashioned scabbards to the sword. They were punished...

The sun had begun to fall below the western horizon, so the coachman found the inn. They paid the owner generously so that he would not tell anyone they were there and spent the night. In the morning they would go house to house and try to find the sheath to Kagome's mystery man's sword...

Inuyasha and Miroku were in the backyard chopping wood and working on that evening's dinner. "This is so tedious..." Miroku said, pulling more feathers from the hide of the poultry. "I knew you had it bad, but this is ridiculous."

"Hey, I used to have to do this _and_ that every day," Inuyasha replied, placing another log on the chopping block. "At least now it's just one or the other." Miroku pulled a clump of particularly stubborn tail feathers, almost causing the fowl to go flying.

"Indeed..."

"Inuyasha!" Naraku called from the backdoor. Inuyasha swung the axe down and left it there, turning to Naraku.

"Yeah, what?" he answered.

"I don't have time," Naraku replied. "Get in here now and make some food."

"Well, that was going to be the next order of business as soon as Miroku finished plucking the chicken," Inuyasha said.

"I don't care," Naraku responded. "We have company, and they need food. Now." He disappeared inside again. Inuyasha looked to Miroku who returned with a look of confusion. Inuyasha headed inside to the kitchen and began cooking, leaving Miroku out back to pluck and skin chickens. He finished the one he was working on, put it in the bucket and grabbed another small capon. Kilala walked up beside him and started sniffing at the feathers on the ground. Miroku smiled and bent down, rubbing the top of her head.

"Don't worry, Kilala," he said. "You'll get some food soon." Kilala purred slightly, but suddenly jumped at the bucket and grabbed one of the already skinned chickens. "Hey!" he cried out, leaping to his feet.

Kilala ran across the yard, poultry hanging from her mouth as Miroku chased the little cat demon. Kilala disappeared around the corner of the house, and Miroku followed, when all of a sudden. "Oof!" cried out two voices as Miroku ran into someone and knocked them down. He shook his head to clear it after the impact, and then looked down at the person he'd run into.

"Sango!" he exclaimed, eyes widening as he saw the girl on the ground.

"Miroku?" she replied, staring in shock.

He quickly helped her to her feet and gaped in silence before finally coming to his senses and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with the princess," Sango answered. "She's looking for the man she met at the ball."

"Is that a fact...?" Miroku said vaguely. Sango stepped toward him.

"I thought I'd never see you again..." she said softly. "...I take it your line of work still doesn't allow you to really talk to girls...?"

Miroku shook his head. "No... actually... they kicked me out... because I was talking to you at the ball..."

"Oh, no! You lost your job because of me?" she exclaimed, putting her hand to her mouth. Miroku grabbed it though and held it in his.

"Sango, the only thing I regret about it is that they told me _after_ I was on the other side of the kingdom from you." He put one hand to her cheek and stroked it softly. She smiled up at him and he returned it, pulling her into an embrace, Sango leaning into him.

The moment was broken as they were met by a frantic looking Inuyasha bursting in on the scene from the backyard. "The princess is here!" he exclaimed panickedly.

"Who is that?" Sango asked, as she and Miroku broke apart.

"Ah, Sango, meet the princess' dream guy," Miroku said, looking to Inuyasha slightly uncertainly.

"Excuse me?" Sango answered. "That can't be the man Kagome is looking for. She told me he was a human with black hair."

"Yeah, that's me," Inuyasha said.

"Have you looked in a mirror?" Sango replied, looking at him skeptically.

"Inuyasha's a half demon, Sango," Miroku explained. "During the night of the new moon he loses his demon features and becomes human."

"And the night of the ball was a new moon...!" Sango said, realization dawning.

"But now I look like this!" Inuyasha cut in again. "She's not going to recognize me now!"

"Well, if you have the casing for your sword, that should be enough to prove who you are," Sango said.

"The wha-? Wait, how's that going to prove anything?" he asked.

"It's been a whole week and you haven't noticed the sword was missing from your scabbard?" Sango asked incredulously.

"Well I guess not!" Inuyasha snapped. "Where the hell did I put that thing?" he dashed back into the kitchen.

"Are you absolutely certain you don't have any other brothers?" Kagome came out the front door with Naraku, Koga, and Sesshomaru.

"Positive," Sesshomaru answered simply. Kagome turned her head slightly, perplexed by something.

'_I was sure he said he was brothers with Koga and Sesshomaru..._' she thought.

"Hey, princess!" Koga cut into her thoughts. "If you don't find this guy feel free to come back and marry me!"

"I'll consider it," Kagome said, rolling her eyes inwardly. The men disappeared inside the house again and closed the door. "Let's get going, Sango..." she said, not looking at her as she walked over to the coach and climbed inside.

Sango turned to Miroku and looked into his eyes. "You're coming with us too, right?"

He took her hands in his and brought them to his face, planting a gentle kiss on her fingertips. "Wild jackals couldn't keep me away," he smiled. Sango grinned and threw her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss.

She didn't stay long, but let go and said, "You and Inuyasha must meet us at the inn. I'll tell the innkeeper to expect you." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and hurried to the coach with Kagome. The driver then took them away down the lane and disappeared. Miroku stared after for a moment before noticing Kilala rubbing against his leg. He smirked and picked her up.

"You are a sneaky little cat," he said, carrying her back to the kitchen and finding Inuyasha. The half demon had found the scabbard but had torn apart the kitchen hunting down something else. "What are you looking for?" Miroku asked.

"Something to write with," Inuyasha answered. "But I can't find anything."

"What do you want to write?" Miroku asked, raising one eyebrow inquisitively.

"Goodbye note to those bastards I'm forced to call my stepfamily," Inuyasha answered, rummaging through a cabinet. Miroku turned his head and saw a jar of jam nearby. He picked it up, took the lid off, and dumped it all on the table. "What the hell are you doing?!" Inuyasha exclaimed when he saw this.

"Well, if your leaving there's no reason to worry about making a mess," Miroku said, spreading it all over the tablecloth. A look of understanding, as well as a satisfied smirk, dawned on Inuyasha's face as he rolled up his sleeve, writing a letter in the slop.

_Dear Assholes,_

_I'm leaving. There's nothing more to it. You no longer have someone to push around and force to do the dirty work. Screw you all. I hope to never see you again._

_Good riddance, Inuyasha, AKA CinderInu_

_P.S. Koga, give up on the princess. You're too much of an idiot._

"Nice touch," Miroku grinned. Inuyasha smirked as he grabbed the scabbard and they walked out the kitchen door, never to return again.

----------

Kagome sat at the dinner table quietly. She didn't really touch her food, but sat there, twirling it about her fork. Sango watched her, trying not to smile or let on about the boys. It was all she could do to keep from telling Kagome.

Kagome looked up at her and said, "Sango, do you think this search is pointless?"

"Huh?"

The princess set her utensil down and rephrased, "Am I just being delusional? Do you think there's any chance whatsoever that I'll actually find that boy?"

"Of course!" Sango exclaimed. "People don't just vanish into thin air. He's got to be around here somewhere." Just where that was at this particular moment she did not know, but she hoped it couldn't be too far. "Don't worry, Kagome. You'll find him soon enough."

"If you say so..." Kagome said, pushing out her chair and rising to her feet. She started toward the bedroom door.

"Where are you going?" Sango asked, somewhat anxiously. Kagome glanced back at her.

"To the bathroom," she answered, wondering why Sango would be worried.

"Oh, okay," Sango replied in relief. Kagome disappeared through the door. Sango sighed and walked over to the window, leaning against the sill and staring down into the center of the town. Light shining through the windows of other houses cast a slight glow on the area, allowing shadows to dance. In fact, there were two shadows heading in the direction of the inn.

Sango's heart leapt. It was them! "They're here!" she exclaimed.

"Who's here?" Kagome called.

Sango quickly turned to the door and responded," No one!" She turned back to the window again and gasped. Two more shadows had been added, and they were attacking Inuyasha and Miroku. Her eyes widened when she realized, "We _did_ have guards tailing us! Kagome, come quick!!" Kagome opened the door and looked at Sango confusedly.

"Sango, what's going on?" she asked. Sango grabbed her by the wrist, and Kagome yelped as she was pulled out the door.

----------

"Come on! We're already really late!" Miroku whispered loudly to Inuyasha.

"Dammit! Why'd they have to go out after the princess left?" Inuyasha wondered aloud. "If they'd just stayed in the house and griped to each other about missing their last shot-."

"We wouldn't have had to hide all day! But they did, so we have to hurry or else the innkeeper will go to bed and we won't be able to get to the princess!" Miroku responded.

"They're going for the princess! Get 'em!"

"The hell?" Inuyasha said as he and Miroku both paused. "Whoa!" Something had launched itself at Inuyasha and knocked him to the ground.

"Inuyasha! Oof!" Miroku was overthrown by someone else.

"Get offa me!" Inuyasha shouted, throwing his attacker off and leaping to his feet. "Who the hell are you?!" he demanded.

"I should be asking the same of you, stalker!" the attacker responded.

"Stalker?! What the hell are you talking about?!" Inuyasha retorted.

"Quiet!" The attacker had leapt at him again and had him pinned to the ground. "You'll not harm a hair on the princess' head!"

"Good thing the king and queen sent us after them afterall," his partner joined, sitting on top of Miroku and holding his arms behind his back.

Suddenly, Inuyasha grabbed the empty sheath at his hip and hit the assailant. "Ow! Hey!" the guard exclaimed, getting off of Inuyasha to avoid the retaliation.

"'Hey' what? You attacked me!" Inuyasha retorted, holding the sheath out to defend himself.

"And you'll both stop! Guards, cease!" Kagome shouted, appearing with Sango nearby.

"Princess!" the assailants exclaimed, standing at attention. "We were just-!"

"Leaving! Now! I'm sick and tired of being forced to grow up and treated like a baby at the same damn time!!!" Kagome shouted. "Get lost! Go home! Now!!!" The guards didn't hesitate but turned tail and took to their heels in the direction of the palace. "Now who the hell are-?!" Kagome's eyes locked on the scabbard Inuyasha was holding. "You..." Inuyasha glanced at Miroku as Sango walked over and helped him to his feet.

"Inuyasha," he answered, a hint of nervousness in his voice as he put the sheath back at his side.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome repeated, staring at him. She took a few steps toward him, and Inuyasha paled tensely. "Your voice seems familiar..." She glanced down at his scabbard. "As does the casing to your sword."

"Uh..." Inuyasha didn't know how to respond. "Yah! Hey, princess! I'm the guy you talked to at the ball! Just ignore the silver hair and claws!" would definitely not work and probably succeed in getting thrown in a dungeon of some kind.

"Come with me!" Kagome grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the inn.

"Wha-?!" Inuyasha was yanked along shooting pleading looks to Miroku and Sango who looked at each other and headed in the other direction, hand in hand.

----------

When Kagome had gotten Inuyasha into the room, she hurried into the bedroom, asking, "Why did you leave so suddenly and without telling me your name?"

"I had to leave, and I guess I just forgot to tell you my name during the course of the evening..." he replied. She returned a moment later, rushing toward him with the sword. "Whoa! It can't have pissed you off _that_ bad, can it?!" he exclaimed leaping away.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to use it on you," she said, stopping in front of him.

"Oh... well... didn't your mommy ever tell you not to run with sharp objects?" he smirked uneasily.

"Of course not. My mommy only ever told me to get married in two weeks," she replied succinctly.

"And the ball didn't work out so you had to go looking through the whole kingdom for a hubby?" Inuyasha said.

"No," she answered simply, handing him the sword and he taking it. "I came here looking for two things. The first would be the sheath to that sword."

"Okay..." he said. They stood there silently for a moment.

"Well?" Kagome prompted him.

"'Well' what?" he asked.

"Try to put the sword in your sheath!" she said.

"Oh!" He shrugged and did so. Kagome stared at it silently for a moment, a small smile appearing on her face. "...So that's thing one found," Inuyasha said nervously as he noticed the smile on her face. "What was thing two?"

"The person who had that sheath," she said, smiling as she walked up closer to him. "Because he had to be the same person I met at the ball and lost this sheath..."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Wait... and you actually believe it's me? Even though I'm a half demon again?" he asked incredulously.

"Mm-hmm," Kagome answered, moving ever nearer.

"How?" he asked, softly.

"You are him, aren't you?" Kagome replied nonchalantly.

"Well, yeah..." Inuyasha answered, shrugging.

"I believe you then... that's how I know..." Kagome answered, landing right in front of him and taking his hands in hers. Inuyasha allowed her a small smile. "And you do know why I wanted to find you, right?"

"Not really... but I know what I hope it is..." he said as she leaned up to kiss him.

And they lived happily ever after.

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So, what'd ya think? This was my first ever Inuyasha fic. Prior to this I've stuck to Zelda and Mario, but I decided this would be a good way to break into the Inuyasha field. Was I right? Like it? Hate it? Love it? Whichever way you go, I'm gonna continue as soon as my A.P. and various other upper level classes permit, not to mention my many after school clubs and such... well, I got this much done, I shall continue! R&R, peeps! Later!


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